The Dogs - Spring Clean Challenge 2026

Took a look at everything this morning and the skintone looked a bit flat.  Time for a light wash.  I don’t want to warm up the colour at all, just increase the contrast to help the sculpted details show better.

I blended some AP Strongtone Wash with some medium, two thirds to one third.

Now for something new.  I’m trying to stretch myself and learn a new technique with this project.  At Christmas I got given a Goblin Hobbies stamp kit.  I’ve not used this technique before so watched the videos on their website that introduce the technique.  They are useful and I recall there was also a Gerry Can or Unboxing about this as well but I can’t find it on OTT or YT at the moment.

Some prep is needed.  You have to blot the silicone ends of the stamper for several hours before you start using them to get some of the production oil off as this stops the design sticking.  I also needed to order some lint free pads (basically medical gauze) and a bottle of 100% Acetone as this kit uses nail varnish.

I picked a design I wanted.  There is a tower and a ship’s wheel on one of the etched sheets.  I’m going with a tower up the long length of the shield on the right and there will be enough for a small ship’s wheel on the left.  They are Sea Elves after all.

Here’s the kit and tools used.

I practiced a lot on a piece of scrap card.  The technique isn’t easy and isn’t instantly repeatable so getting a perfect pick-up off the etched sheet is hard and then getting it transferred into the right position isn’t all that easy either.  The tower was easier than the ship’s wheel.  Because it is so small it dries incredibly quickly so is very hard to pick up because there isn’t enough time to do the swipe and then pick up the stamp and roll it over the design.  I got quick enough eventually but it took a very long time with lots of failed pick-ups.

So as you can see some weren’t as good (on the left) but others looked nearly perfect (on the right).  Most failures on the wheel:

I did the leader last and he came out with the best looking transfers.

Once done some of the transfers started to flake or were clearly not fully stuck on.  I coated them in some matt varnish to help stick them on and diminish the sheen that the nail varnish has.  I was then able to tidy up any missing elements with some white paint.

That used up today’s hobby time so I’ll have to finish off the metallic layering tomorrow.